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The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr. Samuel Yaw Annor led an entourage to pay a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his residence in Accra Thursday July 2018.

The visit according to Dr. Annor is to seek the support of Sheikh Sharubutu and to share ideas on how the scheme can be used to the benefit of all Ghanaians.

He said “there are major problems with how the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) serves the people of Ghana and because this concerns the health of the people of Ghana, we have decided to meet with the people and their leaders to share ideas on how the scheme can be used to the benefit of all”

According to him, Ghana as a state has the responsibility of providing basic health care for all its citizens and therefore the onus lies on Ghanaians to contribute to the health fund to make the scheme successful.

“As at now, most health centers have different charges on ailments that are not covered by the NHIS, their excuse is that the NHIA money owned them are not paid or on time, I believe this problem can be solved if the NHIA is well resourced” he said.

He said, government decided in 2013 that the NHIS be given 2.5% of monies received as value added tax (VAT) and Social Security and National Insurance Trust contributions (SSNIT) to look after the members of the scheme.

‘We are all in this country and we all see the challenges the NHIS face in regulating and paying of claims, this is because monies paid to the NHIS is woefully inadequate, we give every member on the scheme $25 for a whole year when in actual terms we are to give $100 and so we are pleading with government to increase the percentage from 2.5 to 3.5” he said.

On his part the Chief Imam said, the Health Insurance Scheme is like a Shelter under which every person in need of health care can take some comfort and security adding that it is the collective duty of all citizens to support the course.

“I support the call for increase in VAT and SSNIT contribution from 2.5% to 3.5% and I call on citizens working in the formal sector to make at least 1% of their salary into the health fund that will augment the money that will come from the government, this will ensure that without discrimination any person can have access to quality health care.” he said.

According to him, this is something that we must all support to ensure that we are each other’s keeper.